Singin' In The Rain

Psalm 68:19 -- "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens."

Looking at the sky overhead, my sister, the Hawkins girls, and I kept plugging away on the hill-laden back roads near Faith Academy, Manila in the Philippines. There was gonna' come a down pour and at first, we thought the deluge might ruin our hike from the school to our dormitory. But once the rain started to come down, huge smiles made it across our faces and the four of us were transformed back to the days of our youth when we would get together and play.

Those days began when we were just toddlers at Calloway Gardens, Georgia. It was wonderful really, the way our paths had come together again. The parents of these beautiful best friends had been assigned to a different country in the beginning of our adventures as missionary kids - we said good-bye at Calloway - not knowing that God would call us all to the Philippines much later, so that we could walk together in the tropical down pour.

Yes, absolutely wonderful.

No matter to which country we had been assigned in the past - we could spend time together as if no miles had come between us and time changed only our physical selves as we grew into young adults. It did nothing to dampen the laughter and cherished comradery the four of us shared.

As sheets of rain pelted down and steam began to rise from the rough asphalt, we laughed - and danced - in the heavy onslaught. The storm was shared. Just as so many had been shared in the past - and so many would be shared together in the future.

We would celebrate with one another through high-school graduation. Some of us would go on to graduate college. We would see each other get married, have children, and grow into middle-age even as we spread out to different dots on the map. How very precious are the kindred spirits that allow us dance in the rain.

Even now we share joys and prayer requests with one another through Face Book - and I know that if I ever truly needed to, I could pick up the phone and call them. I can laugh with them, cry with them, hope with them - and daily share burdens as we have done since Calloway Gardens all those years ago.

Just knowing that is a great comfort.

As deep and precious is our life-long friendship - there is One who will always be an even more constant friend in my life. No matter what happens, Jesus will be here with me to help. He will be here to laugh with me. He will be here to daily share my burdens.

We children of the Lord will never have to face life alone. Praise be to the Lord for that! With our Savior ever with us - we really CAN find moments when we not only brave an unexpected down-pour - but we can indeed sing and dance as we await the coming rainbow.